Grantleigh College retained their title at the N.Coast Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge. Photo by Rogan Ward

Defending champions, Grantleigh College retained their title at the North Coast Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Saturday 20 May.

 
Wrapping up the tenth regional in KZN, host team Grantleigh took on Felixton College in a riveting regional final. The two teams met in the first round robin game that ended in a fast flowing stale mate with both teams unable to find any holes to break each other’s defences and net any goals.
 
In the final, Felixton took the first run up to Grantleigh’s circle but were met by a sturdy line of defenders who calmly pushed play back up to the visitor’s end, earning a free hit inside the 23. The local team wasted no time attacking but unfortunately their first set piece wasn’t quite organised, and the ball zipped out of play on the opposite side, affording Felixton time to compose themselves.
 
Nearing two minutes into the finals, Grantleigh pushed into the Felixton circle and earned their first short corner. The ball bolted to the castle at the top of the circle and then was smashed goalwards but an unfaltering keeper, Sena Mhlaba from Felixton booted the ball clear. A flurry around the goal mouth ensued followed Mhlaba good clearance with the Felixton’s defenders eventually managing to clear the ball out of the danger zone.
 
Four minutes later, Grantleigh were back on the attack. With their third set piece, the local team changed up their short corner tactics, moving the ball left of the castle and slapping in their attempt. Felixton managed to hold their defences for the second time, but gave away a third short corner.
 
In exactly the same fashion as their second short corner, Grantleigh moved the ball left of the castle with their forward launching off her shot that was again stopped in its tracks by Mhlaba, but in a devastating moment, the ball slid under her right boot and was pounced upon by a very alert Jessica Sparks who was keenly lurking on the goal post after she had injected the ball for the corner, pushing the ball in and giving her team a 1 nil lead.
 
Two minutes into the second half, Felixton College earned their first short corner. In a decisive set piece, the ball flew out to the castle, where Amanda Mthembu whipped in a cracker of a low flying missile that slammed into the Grantleigh net, equalising the scoreline at 1 all.
 
With only 4 and a half minutes remaining, the home team were awarded their fourth short corner. A resolute Grantleigh attack peppered the Felixton goals with several assaults. Mhlaba from Felixton bravely battered away the ball, diving, kicking and even hitting it but the locals with more fuel in their tank, persisted valiantly with waves of onslaughts and eventually were rewarded for their gritty determination. Ami Scalliet from Grantleigh netted her teams’ second goal, giving her team a 1 goal advantage.
 
As the remaining time dwindled, Felixton dug deep not giving up. The intrepid team pushed play back to the Grantleigh side several times, but were unable to finish off their well crafted surges, with Grantleigh happy just to take a more defensive role and not allow Felixton any space as they ran the time down. The final score was 2-1 in favour of Grantleigh College.
 
Awarded as the Most Promising Umpire of the Day, Sam Dreyer from Richards Bay Christian School was recognised for her efforts with the whistle.
 
Grantleigh College is the last team to secure their berth at this year’s Grand Finals that will take place at St Mary’s DSG in Kloof in July. This will be their fifth appearance at the Grand Finals. They will meet nine other KZN regional champions representing their area at the concluding tournament. They are Danville Park Girls’ High School (Durban North Regional); St Mary’s DSG (Highway Regional); Kuswag Hoërskool (Durban South Regional), Durban Girls’ College (Durban Central Regional); The Wykeham Collegiate (Pietermaritzburg North Regional); Suid Natal Hoërskool (Sisonke and uGu Regional); St Dominics Newcastle (Northern KZN Regional); Ladysmith High School (uMvoti and oThukela Regional) and Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School (Pietermaritzburg Central Regional). 
 
The Grand Finals will all be livestreamed on the SuperSport School’s mobile app and website.  Action from this weekend will be aired on channel 216 on SuperSport. 
 
For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.
 
Round Robin Results
1 Grantleigh College 21pts; 2 Felixton College 18pts; 3 Eshowe High School 17pts; 4 St Catherine’s School 9pts; 5 Richards Bay Christian School 4pts; John Ross College 1pt
 
Regional Final Result
Grantleigh College 2 vs Felixton College 1